kate_sept2004 | E+ | Getty Images If you haven’t gotten your 2020 tax refund, you are in good company. At the end of the 2021 filing season in May, the IRS had a backlog of 35 million tax returns that still needed to be manually processed, according to a report released Wednesday by the National
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After a year of lockdown, you may be ready to make up for lost time and start going out — and spending more. At the same time, prices are rising due to inflation. Consumer prices in May were up 5% from a year earlier, according to the Labor Department’s Consumer Price Index, which represents energy,
Jason York | Getty Images State lawmakers around the country are increasingly tackling the retirement-savings gap head on. Maine has become the latest jurisdiction to enact a law to require most employers that don’t offer a retirement plan to automatically enroll their workers in an individual retirement account through a state-administered program. The New York
Jose Luis Pelaez | Getty Images Investors who want to capitalize on emerging trends — i.e., electric vehicles or remote work — may want to check out “thematic” exchange-traded funds. These ETFs provide a way for investors to engage in so-called thematic investing, which generally means buying stocks or other investments that may benefit from
wundervisuals | E+ | Getty Images While no one expects emergencies, many people still find themselves facing unexpected or catastrophic events. Having the proper financial documents and information in place can be a huge help to your family in the event of your death or could even help you navigate the aftermath of a disaster
Oxford | Getty Images Your emergency savings could be in danger of losing value due to one thing: inflation. Costs are rising on everything from gasoline, which has jumped 20% during the pandemic, to bacon, which is up 18.7%. Meanwhile, persistently low interest rates mean it’s tougher to earn a return on your cash and
Getty Images Some part-time workers who stay on the job may get faster access to their company’s 401(k) plan. As part of retirement legislation pending in Congress, workers who book between 500 and 999 hours for two consecutive years would generally be eligible for their employer’s plan. That would be a reduction from the current
The Covid-19 pandemic and economic shock that followed has made it more difficult for many parents and students to afford college. Yet even fewer families applied for financial aid this year. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, serves as the gateway to all federal aid money, including loans, work-study and grants, which are the most
VALERIE MACON | AFP | Getty Images A new bipartisan bill proposed in Congress would require the Social Security Administration to once again mail annual statements to everyone ages 25 and over who have paid into the system. The bill, called the Know Your Social Security Act, was proposed on Thursday by Republicans and Democrats
Many things have been in short supply during the coronavirus crisis, and that includes housing. When the country went into lockdown, Americans were on the move. The sudden shake up caused a spike in home prices. Even now, potential buyers continue to be shut out of the housing market as prices head higher and higher.